The Philips Baristina is ‘unlike any other bean-to-cup machine’ we’ve tested — and with 26% off, it’s affordable too

As TechRadar Australia’s resident coffee connoisseur and gatekeeper of our guide to the best coffee machines , I’m constantly on the lookout for exceptional coffee machine deals on the most talented models.

This week’s search was made easy, thanks to a 26% saving on the Philips Baristina, bringing it down to AU$444 .

The Baristina is my pick for the best budget coffee machine in Australia in the aforementioned guide, thanks to its ease of use, clever features, tasty espresso and, of course, its low price.

Its full price of AU$599 can easily be considered affordable compared to other models that typically carry a four-figure tag, but this solid discount makes it all the more tempting.

Baristina: was $599 now $444 This ultra-adorable bean-to-cup espresso machine will grind, tamp and brew a coffee for you without you having to lift a finger.

Results are excellent, although you may need some trial and error with beans, since you can’t adjust the grind size.

Also available in black for the same price .

View Deal My colleague Cat Ellis — who is also a trained barista — couldn’t have been more positive in her Philips Baristina review , loving the fact that it combines the best of bean-to-cup machines with the convenience of capsule models.

It handles all aspects of the coffee-making process — grinding, dosing, tamping and brewing — all the while putting on a show.

Once you’ve inserted the portafilter into position, the Baristina will automatically move it across to the brewing position when it’s finished grinding and tamping.

It’s this feature alone that makes it unlike any other coffee machine Cat or I have previously tested.

It’s not without its limitations: it can only brew a 40ml espresso or a 110ml lungo, for example — there’s no extensive menu of drink options to choose from here — and you can’t adjust the grind size.

This need not be a deal breaker, however, as you may just need to conduct some trial and error with coffee bean varieties if you find your espresso tastes over- or under-extracted.

There’s also no way to steam milk, although a colour-matching Philips Baristina milk frother is available separately — or you can buy this as a complete bundle for the same cumulative price .